I could watch it a million times.
No, not Kyle Orton’s first half, looks-like-an-actual-quarterback touchdown tosses. Not Lance Briggs whacking every Eagle in sight with the force of a medieval battering ram. Not even Alex Brown pulling Correll Buckhalter to the ground like a rodeo wrangler in the best moment by a singular Bears defensive player since Brian Urlacher stripped Edgerrin James on a fateful Arizona Monday evening two years ago.
3rd down and 4. Bears on their own 6 yard-line. 2:43 showing on the game clock.
NBC cuts to Brian Urlacher on the sideline. The look is nervous. You can read his mind through his anxious eyes. Does the defense have one more stop in them? Can they keep the quick-strike Eagles out of the end-zone again? Again? Does any defense have that much heart?
Kyle Orton takes the snap from center and puts the ball in Matt Forte’s hands.
After a poor game up front, Olin Kreutz drives the linebacker an easy five yards off the line of scrimmage. Roberto Garza steamrolls Omar Gaither. The hole is there until John Tait gets plowed, literally driven the ground by Dan Klecko. Brian Dawkins is riding Klecko like a steed. Eagle arms reaching in from everywhere.
Urlacher must be buckling his chin strap.
Two men hit Forte, well short of the first down. He couldn’t care less. Mariano Rivera has been closing games like this in the Bronx for an awful long time. Sometimes you just have to want a first down. Sometimes being tackled isn’t an option. First down. First down Bears.
Rash and G-Reg lift Forte to his feet. He flips the ball to the referee and walks back to the huddle. That’s who Matt Forte is. He doesn’t need to let the defense know what he's done. He’ll let the crowd do that. When you’re sitting in Yankee Stadium and those first powerful guitar chords of Enter Sandman fill the cathedral, you can almost hear 56,000 people whisper at once: “Game.” That’s who Matt Forte is. Game.
NBC cuts back to Urlacher. The look is everything. There’s almost tears in his eyes. Its fun to see athletes, even great athletes like #54, exude that much pride. Urlacher might not be the best player on the unit. He might not even be the best player on the linebacking corps. But that's still his defense. This is still his team. He began walking the sideline and mouthing something I couldn't pick-up, even in slow motion. "Great to have a running back" maybe? "About goddamn time"? It was probably something a lot simpler.
Game.
Just watched the game again (it is currently 5:18 AM) and a lot of thoughts to go around...
(1) Let's start with Kyle Orton. Anyone who looks at KO and doesn't see the promise of a terrific NFL quarterback, doesn't want to see it. Sure Kyle made mistakes tonight - mostly due to his lack of pocket presence - but he also made some absolutely wonderful throws. All three touchdown passes were spectacular passes and the Hester drop would have certainly led to more points. Kyle's not "there" yet but I'm pretty damn excited to see where "there" is.
(2) Alex Brown was the player of the game. But right behind him on the defensive side was Israel Idonije. Idonije was commanding double teams all game long and more than made up for the absence of Tommie Harris.
(3) Mark Anderson is a lost cause. His over-pursuit on the early Desean Jackson end-around was laughable. I'm starting to wonder what scenario would put him on the field.
(4) Hey Brian...knock it down! The first Eagles touchdown was thrown between three Bears defenders, each of which could have knocked the ball to the ground. Mr Urlacher was too interested in catching the pass and thusallowed the six points. Knock the damn ball down, please.
(5) Charles Tillman and Brandon Lloyd are terrific football players. If they're seriously injured, we're in trouble.
(6) Matt Forte is a hell of a blocker. Even John Madden pointed out that Forte's blocking was responsible for the Booker TD. Last Bears running back that blocked this well wore 34.
(7) Get Hunter Hillenmeyer out of pass coverage. Now. He's awful.
(8) If the Cover-2 is susceptible to every throw over the middle, let's stop running it.
(9) Greg Olsen running vertical routes is better than Greg Olsen not running vertical routes.
(10) 2-2. Tied at the top of the NFC North.
I'm not going to bother with the nonsense right now.
Alex Brown...
Matt Forte late....
Corey Graham in a big spot...
Lance Briggs all night...
Kyle Orton early...
I'll see you all tomorrow once I've watched the game again. We're alive and well and...
LEADING THE DIVISION.
Philadelphia Eagles
Dear Bears,
Play football tonight like football is all that matters. Play football tonight like the very notion of losing two games in front of your home crowd is an affront you dare not suffer. Please play football tonight like it's the 17th week of the season and your playoff life depends on it. Play football tonight like you played football two years ago: with guts and heart. With bluster. With passion.
Play football tonight and win. Just win.
Bear down,
jeff
Don't let the bitterness of Brian Griese spoil the enjoyment of the best drive the Bears have mounted in years. David Haugh thinks tomorrow is a must-win. He's half-correct. If the Bears expect to be taken seriously on a national scale, they'll need a definitive showing. But with three winnable games in October and a division without a clear front-runner, one game does not a season make.
Sixty minutes of good football Sunday night and the Chicago Bears can hit the reset button on the 2008 season. Sixty minutes of good football and the Bears can enter the easiest stretch of their schedule with the momentum of a second primetime upset. Sixty minutes of good football and the defensive collapses against Carolina and Tampa Bay are swept under the rug, only to be thought of again in the whirlwind of late December tiebreaking scenarios.
So forget the damn point spreads for this week...
Your 2008 Chicago Bears over Philadelphia Eagles
Why do I like the Chicago Bears this week?
(1) I always like the Chicago Bears. (Though their credit is running low)
(2) I think this team is engineered to play their best football when they’re under a barrage of criticism from media and fans. They play well with a chip on their shoulder and they should have eleven chips on Sunday night.
(3) McNabb is hurt. Westbrook probably won’t play (though he says he wants to…though I’ve never heard a player say “I got no interest in playing”). L.J. Smith is banged up. Shawn Andrews still isn’t ready. The Bears are getting this team at the right time. I’m fine with that.
(4) Strange as this might be, the Eagles (especially without Westbrook) don’t do a ton on offense that scares you. They like to throw down the field and that's not how you beat the Lovie Deuce.
(5) The Bears have shown a remarkable ability to contain the run game which means Andy Reid will likely attack the Bears the way everyone used to: screen, screen, screen. Don’t expect the “mug” defense to be sending too many linebackers into the backfield because it’ll leave them susceptible.
(6) The Bears will run the ball far more than the Steelers and their 13 carries did. I certainly do not believe that the Eagles have suddenly cleared up their years-long inability to contain a big running game. Kreutz. Beekman. Garza. Tait. St. Clair. Win this one.
(7) In the last two weeks, the Eagles have scored a total of 12 second half points. The reason? Because since the Super Bowl vomit incident, McNabb has been outed as a player who tires late in games and makes poor decisions because of it. The way to beat Chicago has been to stay in it and score easily as the clock winds down. I'm doubtful of McNabb's ability to do that.
Final note: I want to see the Bears up late in this game. Six points would be preferable. Yeah, I want to see the Bears kick a field goal to go up 20-14 with three and a half minutes remaining. Then I want to see this defense come on the field and end the game. Four plays. No yards. Game over.
Bears 20, Eagles 14.
The Chicago Bears are 1-2 and I'm not pleased so this week's look around the league will focus on teams and situations worse than what's happening late to the boys in navy and burnt.
Philadelphia @ Chicago
The Daily Herald takes the pole position with their coverage of the Bears in the aftermath of Sunday's disaster. Mike Imrem wonders whether Bill Cowher or Mike Holmgren might be better options at the top. Marty Booker wonders what his role in the offense might be. Mine answers: (1) They'd both be bette options and (2) Small.
You want to know how important Brian Westbrook is to the Philadelphia Eagles? There's no line on the game yet. I'm expecting the Eagles to be road favorites. Something like 3 1/2.
Gregg Easterbrook did not believe the tiring defense was a good excuse for the Bears blowing Sunday's game. Scroll down to the bottom of that piece.
Atlanta @ Carolina
Dan Connor is out for the year for Carolina. That's literally all I got on this one.
Cleveland @ Cincinnati
The implosion is imminent in Cleveland, Ohio. Jamal Lewis can't understand why he's not getting the ball and Romeo Crennel is readying Brady Quinn for action. Anyone still doubting my 5-11 prediction?
**Quarterback note #1: Derek Anderson won't finish Sunday's game. 3 years. 24 million.
Houston @ Jacksonville
John McClain's headline in the Houston Chronicle tells the story: "Schaub remains starting QB for Texans." Richard Justice - the best sportswriter name in the country - adds about head coach Gary Kubiak: "If he's sticking with Schaub because he's unwilling to admit a mistake, because he has two second-round picks and a $48-million contract invested in Schaub, he has taken a huge step toward getting fired."
**Quarterback note #2: Matt Schaub won't finish the season. 48 million.
Arizona @ New York Jets
New York is a great city but the New York Times has no business covering sports. Who writes out the words "American Football Conference"? Answer: the Times.
In other Jets news: (1) Brett Favre stinks and he's limping. (2) Mr. Gholston made his first tackle which means he's currently making 1/21 of a tackle per guaranteed million in his contract. (3) Brett Favre stinks.
**Quarterback note #3: Matt Leinart's not starting this week. 6.75 million per. 14 million in guarantees.
San Francisco @ New Orleans
Apparently Mike Martz and J.T. O'Sullivan considered Sunday's game against the Lions a revenge game. Speaking of the Lions, here's Mitch Albom's response to the latest Lions debacle: "Watching the Lions this season is like watching a kid’s game of electric football. You throw the switch and the little men move, maybe even move in the right direction. But they don’t make anything happen. They just hum around. Occasionally, one gets stuck in the corner, spinning aimlessly. This would be a Lions cornerback."
**Quarterback note #4: Alex Smith doesn't even live in San Francisco anymore. 6 years. 49.5 million.
Green Bay @ Tampa Bay
Hey Jon Gruden. Help us out buddy.
Al Harris is out for the season with a ruptured spleen. This leaves a major hole in the Pack secondary and led to my favorite sports headline of 2008 from the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel: "More on Spleens".
Minnesota @ Tennessee
Hey Jeff Fisher. Help us out buddy.
Someone explain to how the team (the Vikes) can rank last in the league in red zone offense with the best running back and arguably best offensive line in the sport? Brad Childress never had any real responsibility in Philadelphia and he may not have much in Minnesota before long.
**Quarterback note #5: Vince Young will be watching this game from the coaches' booth. 5 years. Option for a sixth. 25.7 million guaranteed and an overall value that could reach $58 million with option and roster bonuses and salary.
San Diego @ Oakland
Lane Kiffin refuses to quit as head coach of the Oakland Raiders and that's a damn good thing. Now the old man Al Davis and his organizational cronies are planting stories in the media and accosting reporters at press conferences. Al Davis is old. Very old. He's cover-me-with-a-blanket-cuz-it's-cold old. Roger Goodell has gone out of his way to publicly chastise every player who has violated the "conduct policy" of the game but Davis' behavior in Oakland violates something much more profound that that. Al Davis is violating "the game". He's turning a beloved sport into a rich man's play thing. He's making a personality more important than the sixty minutes between the lines. George Steinbrenner always wanted to win. Al Davis always wants control and he should be removed from ownership today. Not tomorrow. Not at season's end. Today.
Buffalo @ St. Louis
The worst football team in the history of St. Louis football believes Trent Green can save them. I think Marc Bulgeris a terrific quarterback and Scott Linehan is a coward, hiding behind the easiest adjustment in the coaching canon. St. Louis should have him clear his desk before he destroys the confidence of a good football player.
**Quarterback note #6: Bulger signed a 6 year, 65 million dollar deal in 2007. Sunday he'll take the same number of snaps as Henry Burris.
Washington @ Dallas
Jason Taylor is not playing against the most explosive passing game in football. Not that it matters. Remember when defensive coordinator Greg Blache preached to the Chicago press about the unimportance of sacking the quarterback? If they don't get to Romo Sunday, they'll lose by three touchdowns.
If Tony Romo and T.O. stay healthy this season, I just can't see this team not making the Super Bowl.
Baltimore @ Pittsburgh
The Eagles didn't just beat the Steelers. They beat them up bad. Don't buy into the Eagles defensive revival. The Steelers offensive line is a disaster and the Bears will mount a nice running game - leading to screens and tosses to the tight ends to counter blitz packages. Most important thing for the Bears Sunday night: understanding that punting is not the worst thing.
By the way, at last count, 54.8 percent of Baltimore Sun readers don'tbelieve the Ravens will allow a hundred yard rusher all season. Sixty percent of Americans also believe there actually was a Noah's ark.
Since I’ve asked the Chicago Bears defense to shut their mouths this week, I’ll do the same regarding them. Needless to say I’d like to see them get off the field on third down, stop collapsing in the fourth quarter and subsidize the fifth of scotch required to forget their embarrassing late game performances.
The offense was the “project” of the 2008 season and it’s clearly a work-in-progress. Yet there has been just that – progress - visible if you can see through some of the age-old problems that have dogged this organization for years. Starting Sunday night against Philadelphia, the Bears must continue to improve - not only for the 2008 season but for the 2009 season and beyond. There’s a lisIt of specific musts.
The Bears must continue to throw the ball to Brandon Lloyd early and often, especially on third downs.
…must continue the creative play-calling with Matt Forte, utilizing him in multiple formations and looks.
…must not burn Forte out. Kevin Jones has shown a burst in limited action and the Bears need the run game in December more than September.
…must be patient with Kyle Orton. They don’t have to commit to him beyond 2008 but they gain nothing by exercising a quick hook.
...must teach Orton how to throw the ball into the fourth row of the stands. His interception was awful (and avoidable) Sunday but he also took too many sacks.
…must not be afraid to use max-protect blocking schemes, especially this weekend against Philadelphia.
…must stop dropping passes in big spots. Rashied Davis wants to be early decade Marty Booker but he’s playing like early decade David Terrell. Desmond Clark cost the team seven points Sunday. (The tight ends were meant to be this offense’s strength.)
…must work Devin Hester into the game plan already. The Bears don’t have a legitimate threat to stretch defenses down the field, forcing them to deal with consistent eight man boxes. Hester makes the opposing defensive coordinator second-guess the “stop the run at all costs” mentality.
…must stop throwing long on 3rd and 5 and throwing in the flat on 1st and 10. It's counter-productive.
…must start letting Greg Olsen run DOWN the field. Up and down not just side to side.
...must pick up the slack for the defense. No matter sitting on leads late. Attack until they stop keeping score.
With just under ten minutes to go in the Bears pathetic loss - and there is no better word - to Tampa Bay yesterday, I thought I'd be writing an enthusiastic piece about the emergence of the much-maligned offensive unit. Over four hundred total yards on a good defense. Dominated time of possession. A quarterback overcoming a miserable first half and establishing a true threat on the outside in Brandon Lloyd. Creative play-calling. Sure there were some terrible mistakes by Orton early and big drops by Rash Davis and Desmond Clark, but the second half was theirs. Every second of it. I thought. What I didn't realize was that it was just a little Chicago Bears sleight of hand trickery. I'm winning big in a corner game of three-card monty while the dealer's partner is picking my pocket.
How does a defense that allowed only seven points over the first 53 minutes suddenly fall apart in the final 7? (This week we certainly don't have the convenient "the offense put them on the field too much" excuse.) How does a defensive coach rationalize sitting back in a prevent defense and allowing the opponent to drive the length of the field at will....TWICE? How does the league's highest paid defensive tackle actually say that "everybody knows you don't just leave your teammate" in regards to one of the most idiotic plays in a generation?
The Tampa Bay Bucs did nothing fancy or creative Sunday. They attacked linebackers and safeties in coverage. That's all. Until the final dagger over Nathan Vasher's head in overtime, the Bears corners had not been beaten once the entire ballgame. They attacked linebackers and safeties. Everyone and their mother predicted this would be the gameplan and it was. The Bears must not have thought so. And after it became apparent, they didn't seem too concerned with adjusting to it.
The Bears defense blew their second consecutive second-half double digit lead. Discussing anything else about yesterday's debacle would be an insult to the game of football. This team now has six days to prepare for a good Philadelphia team - possibly without Brian Westbrook - in primetime. A loss would knock them down to 1-3 and subsequently squash any playoff dreams that seem to be dwindling every minute anyway. I don't want to hear about how much "better than Sunday" you are or about how you have "learn to finish". Learn to finish? Learn to cover and tackle. The finishing will take care of itself.
As far as I'm concerned, Sunday is exactly what you are until I see evidence otherwise. A poorly coached group of gutless guys who don't know that acting tough after the whistle blows doesn't show up in the box score. They are their coach's team. They are the mirror image of Lovie Smith. Passive at crunch time. Painfully inept with the game on the line.
For those of you hell bent on blaming the offense, save it.
For those of you who think Robbie Gould should have kicked the 49er, save it.
Today the defense imploded in the fourth quarter for the second straight week and wasted a brilliant Kyle Orton/Brandon Lloyd second half.
I'll be back in the morning. Right now I'm pissed off. There will be a laundry list of assholes.
versus
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Danieal Manning rushed onto the Chicago Bears defensive landscape in 2006 with the relentlessness of a Pamplona bull. The second-round pick from Abilene Christian introduced himself by intercepting Brett Favre in his first professional game and earning his way onto the starting lineup by the end of September (Fade to black: Chris Harris is in Carolina). He looked like another in a long line of defensive stars this organization seems to grow in the Halas Hall flower pots. (Quarterbacks – it is rumored – are grown in a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow.)
Two years later it was Manning demoted not only from the first eleven but also the first twelve, being replaced at the nickel corner spot by Jersey City’s own Brandon McGowan. There were articles criticizing the coaching staff’s ability to develop a player of such promise, about the player’s inability to grasp any of the secondary positions and I’ve been constantly attacked his unsound strip-first approach.
But this is football, don’t you know, and Danieal Manning may never have had the spotlight shown on him as brightly as it will be Sunday afternoon. Not only will he replace IR McGowan at the nickel (with the responsibility of covering tight ends) but he may also replace the team’s most exciting player on kick returns. In this field position battle waiting to happen, it’s Manning who has an opportunity to make the game’s greatest impact.
Redemption is one of those things that sports does so well and Sunday Danieal has a chance to redeem himself in front of sixty-one and a half thousand people waiting to cheer his name. Take a kick back ninety-seven. Knock out a receiver. Pick off one of those things Griese calls a pass. Force your way back into Lovie’s lineup and back into the good graces of the fans.
I know its September 2008. Pretend its September 2006.
Well I haven't been so worthless to start the 2008 season. This is what I wrote last week:
Note on Kyle Orton (not that I don't know what it'll lead to): I was as upset as anybody with his inability to strike downfield against Carolina but I’m not willing to throw him to the dogs just yet. Overall Jake Delhomme made one more throw than he did Sunday and that's a seasoned veteran. Let's give the kid time to develop.
YOUR 2008 CHICAGO BEARS -3 over Tampa Bay
I haven’t been impressed with the Bucs on either side of the ball in the early goings (though admittedly I saw only fragments of their second game).
Offensively, especially without Joey Galloway, the Bucs will not be able to take the Bears corners deep and shouldn’t try. Look for Gruden and Griese to go after the center of the defense (the hole in the Lovie Deuce) and try to exploit mismatches with Smith and Gilmore against Hunter and Payne. If that's covered, Griese will be forced to stay in the pocket longer than he wants. Sacks. Interceptions. You know. Griese.
The Bucs defense hasn’t allowed a hundred yard rusher through two weeks but that doesn’t mean they’ve been dominant against the run - actually ranking 15th currently and allowing over a hundred yards a game (20 more than the Bears). Matt Forte makes his debut in front of the home fans and expect it to be a good one.
Quick points:
-----John St. Clair won't have an easy time with Gaines Adams (currently battling a rib injury) but it'll certainly be a step down from Freeney and Peppers.
-----Devin Hester expects to play and Jon Gruden expects to avoid him at all costs.
-----Last week’s wrong prediction was that Forte would gain more yards in the air than on the ground. This week’s: two sacks from Alex Brown against left tackle Donald Penn and a forced fumble.
-----Kyle Orton’s line: 19-28, 188 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT
This might not be a must-win in the conventional sense but a loss at home to Brian Griese Sunday would all-but take the air out of the 2008 season balloon - especially with the Eagles coming to town in primetime the following week. The Bears must play angry on the defensive side of the ball and aggressive on the offensive side. While a lot of media types expect the Bears offense to scale it back, I expect the opposite. Orton won't develop as a downfield passer unless he's given ample opportunities to pass downfield. I say take shots early and often.
Bears 24, Bucs 10
And after a 6-1-1 start to the season (I go by the line I put on the site), I attack the rest of the third week with vigor. Only Josie Woods newbie Zach is has made it through to the postseason with a 4-0 in the first week.
Cleveland +2 over BALTIMORE (won't let their season end)
Carolina +3.5 over MINNESOTA (won't lose to a guy named Gus)
DENVER -5.5 over New Orleans (won't take their foot off the gas)
Note on Josie Woods: Tremendous crowd on Sunday for the Panthers game. Hope the trend continues.
Nobody pulled down a 4-0 this week with the Bears costing yours truly a perfect week. I'm 6-1-1 to start the season against the spread. Now we take a look around the National Football League as we prepare for the third week of this remarkably exciting season.
Tampa Bay @ Chicago
Take Joey Galloway out of Tampa’s lineup and Devin Hester most likely out of ours and the chances of the "Shootout at Soldier" are greatly diminished. Neither has been ruled out entirely but a foot injury would diminish Galloway’s ability to run and the Bears should be overly protective of their most exciting talent.
Note on Matt Forte. He’s in the top five in rushing and is averaging 4.7 yards per carry. And I know it's early but the way this offense is built, Forte could become a legitimate MVP candidate should the Bears make the playoffs.
Kansas City @ Atlanta
Jason Whitlock wonders what the penalty should be for assembling the worst team in football. The Chiefs ARE bad but not quite the worst. (See much lower)
Sorry I missed this last week but here’s an old school writer on Atlanta’s surprising week one victory. Great opening paragraph. It's important to note because I don't see the Falcons winning more games.
Oakland @ Buffalo
The difference between the Chicago press and the Buffalo press is in the cities themselves. Chicago is a vibrant, dynamic city which can hold its own with some of the world’s best. Buffalo has never recovered from the Rust Belt industrial decline of the late 50s, early 60s. Subsequently the Bills’ beat writers try to uplift their readers; to give them something to hope for. Bears writers don’t. Rex and Kyle rarely got the support during winning campaigns that Trent Edwards is already receiving at 2-0.
Oakland’s Tommy Kelly – who became the highest paid defensive tackle in history this offseason – was arrested for a DUI. Cover your eyes kids. Right now. Are they closed? HIRE A FUCKING DRIVER YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE! YOU HAVE ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD AND THIS BEHAVIOR CAN ACTUALLY KILL OTHER PEOPLE NOT AS STUPID AS YOU!
Carolina @ Minnesota
It’s one thing to not support the terrible Tarvaris Jackson, Mr. Childress. It’s another thing to hint at replacing him with John David Booty. Childress hitched his wagon to a bad player and a loss this Sunday (which I think is coming) will send that organization in extreme turmoil.
Miami @ New England
Can we stop with the Matt Cassel is the next Tom Brady stuff? Please. I beg you.
From this week's Gregg Easterbrook: The Dolphins are 7-27 since the moment Sports Illustrated predicted they would win the Super Bowl in 2006. By the way, SI had the Minnesota Vikings going 13-3 this season. That's a 12-1 stretch run.
Cincinnati @ New York Giants
Until I see otherwise, the Giants are the best team in football. Right now they've got the best wide receiver (Plax) and best defensive lineman (Tuck) in football. Their quarterback looks inspired, their offensive line is a rock and every tie you turn around they've got another running back gaining lots and lots of yards.
Houston at Tennessee
Steve Campbell believes that how the Texans handle the Hurricane Ike situation will test the character of the ballclub. Unfortunately it doesn’t look like they’ll be back in Reliant Stadium any time soon. Tough spot for them this week.
Arizona at Washington
First Tatum Bell steals Rudi Johnson’s luggage from the Detroit Lions’ hallway and drops it off at his ex-girlfriend’s house. Then Vince Young almost kills himself because he got Rexed off the field at home. But Chris Cooley had to top all this by taking a photograph of his playbook and putting it on his blog. Want more? He was naked. More still? His penis is in the photograph.
New Orleans at Denver
Come on Shanny, you stole one.
Detroit at San Francisco
Classic Mitch Albom: “Honestly, this franchise should rename itself ‘Disneyland.’ It guarantees a magical time.” As much as I despise the guy's pixie stick sugar novels, Albom is simply the most readable sportswriter in the country.
St. Louis at Seattle
Koren Robinson is back in Seattle. Kerry Collins is back playing quarterback for Tennessee. Good ten days for NFL drunks.
St. Louis is the worst team in football.
Cleveland at Baltimore
Cleveland's Robaire Smith is out for the year, dealing an already suspect pass defense another blow. I maintain this is a 5-7 win team and a loss Sunday will matter-of-factly end their chances at making the postseason. That's a lot of pressure on a struggling offense against an elite defense on the road. Can you see where I'm leaning?
Jacksonville at Indianapolis
Sportswriting in America. You can’t make it up. Headline from the Indianapolis Star: “Manning Still Good.” Is he? Really? Still good?
Pittsburgh and Philadelphia
I felt bad watching Brian Dawkins getting beat up in the Eagles secondary Monday night. Dawkins is not only a great player but he's also a great man, spending a lot of his life rebuilding run-down areas of Trenton and supporting various Burn and Diabetes charities. The six-time Pro Bowler and five-time All-Pro simply looks like he's wearing down.
Dallas at Green Bay
When Vince Young got hurt, the Titans got better. The Cowboys won Monday night and they got better too.
New York Jets at San Diego
The Jets are simply not as good as Buffalo or New England. Letting Favre be Favre is not going to fix that no matter what the Daily News thinks.
It’s difficult in the internet age to take a step back from a single game performance and see it as just a single game performance. Last week Kyle Orton handled the offense well. This week he stinks. Last week Ron Turner called the offense with pitch-perfection. This week he needs to be fired. It’s all silly fodder for sites like these and talk-radio blowhards to digest while the actual football team moves on to the next week. But since the day-to-day debate keeps me in business, I’ll keep my complaints to a minimum and instead interject a little old-fashioned hold-your-horses.
The Bears have opened with what is inarguably the most difficult two-game stretch of their season and if you ask me, this was the perfect way to gauge the 2008 version of the club. Should they be 2-0? Absolutely. But considering the doomsday prognostications rampant in the Chicago press and on the lips of fans this summer, the Bears have promisingly shown they're more-than-capable of returning to the 2006 formula which put this team four quarters away from winning a world championship. They’ve also shown that the fatal flaws of XLI have not been extinguished; simply delayed.
And one thing to remember about the NFL: the team in September is rarely the team in the postseason. Look no further than last season’s Patriots and Giants. Look at us in 2006. As the Bears enter the second part of their seven-part season, here’s what I’ll be watching the next two weeks in front of the home Soldier Field crowd on both sides of the ball.
Offense:
The Rise of Matt Forte
The first viable young offensive star to be drafted by the Chicago Bears since Neal Anderson, Forte has electrified a thought-to-be dormant rush attack. If the team is to make a significant postseason run, it’s going to be on Forte’s young shoulders and its imperative that Lovie keep some tread off by continuing to hand the ball to Kevin Jones.
A Receiver on the Other Side
If it’s going to be Devin Hester, I wonder when. Otherwise the Bears need to find a way to get 100 catches out of the combination of Marty Booker, Rash Davis and whoever the hell else they lineup opposite Lloyd.
Greg Olsen’s Ball Protection
Don’t fumble. Anymore. Ever.
Kyle Orton’s Interception/Touchdown Ratio
Maybe it is due to defensive errors but we’re not going to start looking for reasons why our quarterback isn’t throwing interceptions. Orton hasn’t scared either opponent with his arm but looking at the second half against the Panthers, it’s become evident that defensive backs seem to know where he’s throwing the ball. He looks most confident when he’s not sitting in the pocket, surveying the field but instead operating the short-passing Ron Turner offense in a dink-and-dunk fashion.
John St. Clair
Dwight Freeney and Julius Peppers to open the season and he’s held his own, even dropping Peppers to the turf. If this continues the question may be whether or not the Bears want to risk their all-important continuity on the line by replacing him with Chris Williams when he’s fully healed.
Defense:
Charles Tillman, Adewale Ogunleye
Along with Forte, they’ve been the two best players on the team over the first two weeks.
Run Defense
They’ve played three great halves. But Jonathan Stewart over-powered all eleven guys and re-awoke the tackling and stamina issues of 2007.
Kevin Payne’s Development
He looked great in the first half against the Panthers, primarily against the run. But you can bet that teams will attack him through the air as the season goes on a la Delhomme-to-King. That starts Sunday with Jon Gruden but it’ll be full stride with Andy Reid. The starting safety spot has been a crap turnstile for the past few years. Payne can solidify it in the next few weeks.
Mike Brown’s Health
So far, so good.
We're just not going to let David Haugh get away with it all season. And by "it" I mean bullshit. His column about Brian Griese contains the line: "Griese became an NFL survivor only after he developed into a downfield passer." Now I understand there's nothing to write about on Tuesdays but this statement simply holds no fact. Griese's best year as a down field passer was his best year as a football player: 2000. Averaged 8 yards per play (highest in his career). 19 TDs to 4 INTS. The notion that his development of the deep ball has strengthened his journeyman status is simply a fabrication used to support a misguided thesis.
As for "Griese keeps getting jobs"? He got booted out of Denver because he kept "falling in the driveway." Lasted five games in Miami. Couldn't keep the job here. Only Jon Gruden seems to know what to do with him. Jon Gruden won a Super Bowl with Brad Johnson and made Rich Gannon a Pro Bowler. Griese keeps getting jobs for the same reason Vinny Testaverde can't take a winter with his kids on Long Island: the quarterback situation in the NFL is abysmal. Let's not make this guy out to be some lesson for kids everywhere.
I'm going to ramble out all my thoughts on yesterday's ballgame and then we're going to move on to Tampa Bay. Steve Rosenbloom does a nice job summing things up: "The good news in the bad loss: The Bears are 1-1 without having played a home game, they have a defense that can dominate for long stretches, and they have the load back they've been looking for. Now, they need to use him at he right time." This is a good football team that is going to get better as this season goes on.
1. Someone on the Panthers sideline realized that there's a hole in the middle of the Bears secondary (not surprising in the Lovie Deuce defense). Moose's called-back touchdown and the dagger-in-the-heart to Jeff King looked like your basic post patterns. Fix this. Now.
2. The Bears had 3rd and 1 at midfield on the final drive of the game. Here's the thing, Lovie. If you're a running football team...and you've got a stud running back...and you give him the ball twice and he doesn't get it...you deserve to lose. If you allow your young QB to audible a screen to an aging wideout and then hand it to your fullback instead, you're daft.
3. Just remember that I liked the Brandon Lloyd signing and have taken a lot of heat for it. The guy catches everything.
4. Rashied Davis had two of the worst plays a receiver can have in one game - dropping a sure thing first down and getting called for a hold on a Forte twenty-yard run late. This offense simply can't afford for Rash and Olsen to play the way they played today. (That is the last Olsen mention this week. He's in what I call "Da Shithouse")
5. Be honest. Everyone. The name "Rex Grossman" ran through your brain when Orton missed Booker on the longball.
6. Don't ignore the positives in Carolina. (a) Forte and Lloyd. (b) John St. Clair planting Julius Peppers into the turf. (c) Charles Tillman continuing what looks to be a Pro Bowl season. (d) Robbie Gould suddenly being able to reach the endzone on kickoffs. (e) Kevin Payne looking dynamic against the run in the first half.
7. Yesterday was the kind of game where your team needs a quarterback and Ron Turner knew that. The offensive coordinator acted like he was afraid of his own shadow in the fourth quarter but he was really afraid of #18. What worries you about Kyle Orton is not that he missed guys on deep balls...it's that he wasn't even close.
8. Good news: the Vikings stink.
9. Adrian Peterson was inactive so the Bears could not use Mark Bradley? Either cut this kid or throw him the damn ball.
10. Not to sound like a total moron, but is that really as far as Brad Maynard can punt? 7 punts averaging a little over 35 yards? In what everybody knew was going to be a field position game, the Bears simply needed more.
11. I can't remember the Bears blocking a player in the back on a return all season last year. When did this nonsense start? (And doesn't it have the feel of being this year's false start?)
12. I looked up and the Lions were getting blown out. I looked up and the Lions were winning. I looked up and the Lions were getting blown out again. That team just sucks.
13. Why doesn't Forte get the ball on the goalline?
14. Did other teams figure out Mark Anderson? It seems the Bears pass rush is non-existent from the right side when Alex Brown is not in the game.
15. I'll say this about the Carolina Panthers: it's hard to root against them. They're the Bears with a much better quarterback.
16. I don't know what to say about the Devin Hester injury. Wait and see, I guess. But the injury feels less substantial because of Danieal Manning's ability on kick returns and Hester's magic invisibility cloak he wears on offense.
17. We're going to know a lot about the 2008 Chicago Bears in six days. If they look lethargic and complacent, they're going nowhere. If they accept what happened yesterday, they're nothing. If they play angry and eat Brian Griese for lunch, they've got a real shot at making the postseason.
The Bears should have won today. Fact. The Bears should have have won. But they didn't. And there's three reasons why.
1. GREG OLSEN. He fumbled in the first half on a drive that was set to guarantee points and in the second half because he didn't protect the football. Can't do that. Mr. Olsen is now officially on a short leash.
2. KYLE ORTON. If the Rex fans want to use today to gloat, they should go and root for another team. Still Kyle missed too many open receivers down the field, especially a Marty Booker running lonesome down the left sideline.
3. RON TURNER. I don't like criticizing the offensive coordinator but this second half was shameful. Last drive of the game...3rd and 1...screen to Booker...hand-off to McKie. Screen to Booker. Hand-off to McKie. GIVE THE FUCKING FOOTBALL TO MATT FORTE! HE'S YOUR BEST PLAYER!
We'll talk more tomorrow. Right now I'm not pleased.
at
Carolina Panthers
Listen, yesterday was 9/11 and it's always a pretty tough day for me. I didn't watch the Trade Center fall on television. I watched the Trade Center fall. 9/11 is collection of snap-shot images entrenched in my memory. It was the ash-covered faces running up Lafayette Street. It was the sweat-soaked suits running into my bodega and swallowing down forty ounces of whatever they could just to calm their nerves. 9/11 isn't a concept or a political motivation to me. It was a Tuesday in September seven years ago. It was the worst day of my life.
As I foolishly sat through a few hours of History Channel footage - a means of somber commemoration - it's remarkable how easily a human being can step back into their former self. I'm once again frightened by that horrible smell in the air. I'm once again moved to tears by the frightened eyes of uniformed men and women putting others before themselves as they march into certain death. I'm once again enraged by that evil - unlike anything I ever thought possible.
If you don't think sports were important during that time, ask a nineteen year-old NYU student what it felt like to tell a couple cops that Scott Brosius had hit the home run of his life. Ask him what it felt like to see Mike Brown return interceptions for touchdown in back-to-back overtimes just a month later.
Days like yesterday shouldn't make us feel that our love of football and this team is somehow less significant. Days like yesterday should remind us how important is to love this much. To love anything this much. To be filled with this much passion. To be moved and enraged with equal measure. There are no universal rankings for what is and what is not important. Some people love their Church. Some people love the Chicago Bears. I do.
And when the ball is kicked off in Carolina on Sunday, you'll find me three seats from the end of the bar at Josie Woods rooting like hell for my team to win. If they don't, I won't feel wrong about allowing myself to feel sadness. If there is any lesson I learned seven years, it is simply this: love what you love but love it as hard as you can. That's one of the reasons we started this site and why I've spent so much time trying to improve it over the years. Because I love this team and I love these fans.
So Bear Down, Chicago Bears. Make every play, clear the way to victory. I'll be right here waiting.
Something happened on Sunday night in Indianapolis. The Chicago Bears of 2008 became Your 2008 Chicago Bears. While the rest of the bloggers and reporters out there continue to claim that no one saw the upset coming, we know better around these parts.
Your 2008 Chicago Bears +3 over Carolina
Why do I like the Chicago Bears this week?
1. I always like the Chicago Bears.
2. The Panthers have a terrific running game and it kept them within striking distance until the final moments without actually scoring a touchdown. Good teams strike. I expect both clubs to run the ball moderately well but neither will dominate time of possession on the ground.
3. This puts pressure on the passing games.
-----I can't help but think that John Fox made a mistake disciplining Steve Smith for this game too. Did he underestimate the Bears because there isn't a player in the league with a more significant mental and physical advantage over us than Smith. I respect the decision. I can't imagine Panthers fans do.
-----Expect the Panthers to attack man coverage on the outside with a lot of underneath stuff to Moose and D.J. Hackett. They used outside slants against San Diego and almost broke a couple touchdowns. Tillman/Vasher must tackle well and Brown/Payne must prevent big plays.
-----This is going to be the first test for Kyle Orton in 2008. The Charges realized by the late third quarter that they could exploit the backend of the Panthers secondary, primarily safeties Charles Godfrey and Chris "Not Tommie" Harris. If the Bears are going to win this game on the offensive side of the ball, they'll need to involve Devin Hester and the vertical passing game.
-----Call me crazy but I'm putting Mark Bradley on the active roster this Sunday, even at the expense of a player like Marty Booker. They need as much speed as possible.
4. The Panthers employ a third kicker named Rhys Lloyd who handles kickoffs. Huge leg. Sunday he booted every single ball into the endzone. I can't imagine using a roster spot on a guy to squib kick the ball down the field so we can assume that if Lloyd is active Sunday, Skunk's going to get his opportunities. Not pause this time, DH, just fast forward.
5. Two quick facts. (a)The Panthers are 3-10 in home openers. (b) If the Bears win Sunday, it'll be the first time they've opened with two road wins since 1963.
6. Robbie Gould. 4-for-4. Long 48 yds.
7. Matt Forte gains more yards receiving than rushing (over 100 total).
8. Bears 19, Panthers 16
And the contest continues. You pick the Bears game and three others against the spread. Go 4-0 and you earn a place into Da Blog Postseason Fantasy Tournament (the only fantasy I do) to win a weekly offseason column in 2009. Make your picks in the comments.
I went 3-1 last week. No one went 4-0. My other three games...
Indianapolis -2.5 over MINNESOTA
Buffalo +5.5 over JACKSONVILLE
DENVER +1.5 over San Diego
We'll take a look at each of the Week Two matchups and reflect a bit on the opening weekend and other shenanigans. Let me first say this: it is nearly impossible for any individual to cover the entire NFL. For evidence of this, turn on the collection of buffoons on ESPN. I don't care about Peter King or Power Rankings anymore and I'll stop complaining about them. All the good sports journalism in this country - with the possible exception of Rick Gosselin and Gregg Easterbrook - happens at the local beat writer level (but unfortunately not in Chicago).
Bears @ Carolina
Tom Sorensen in the Charlotte Observer wrote about the Panthers' miracle drive to beat the Chargers and it wonderfully captures the spirit of being an NFL fan. Compare it to the Tribune's glass half empty response to the Bears beating the Eagles in similar fashion last season and you'll understand why the Chicago press can be irritating.
What made the Panthers drive even more amazing was that it was the team's only offensive touchdown all day. Analysis of the game coming Thursday.
Oakland @ Kansas City
Is this game on television? Why?
Tennessee @ Cincinnati
1. Vince Young continues to stink on the field.
2. Vince Young gets booed off the field.
3. Vince Young refuses to go back in.
4. Vince Young "injures" his knee.
5. Vince Young's close ones call the cops because they feared he was suicidal.
6. Kerry Collins to play Sunday.
7. Vegas makes the horrendous Bengals favorites because most of America doesn't know how much Vince Young stinks.
8. Nobody drafts players from the University of Texas anymore.
Indianapolis @ Minnesota
It took an entire football game for folks up in Minnesota to wonder if Tarvaris Jackson is good. (He's not.) The NFL is not like baseball. Scoreboard watching begins the first week of the season and Bears fans should be rooting hard for the Colts on Sunday.
Green Bay @ Detroit
Nobody writes a morning after pill column like Mitch Albom after a Lions loss.
New York Giants @ St. Louis
Though a fella named Bernie Miklasz is going to get about fourteen opportunities this season down in Missouri.
New Orleans @ Washington
Somebody in Vegas is a Washington Redskins fan because there's no way this game is a pick 'em. Washington - last Thursday night - was putrid offensively, non-existent defensively and made Herm Edwards' clock management look downright expert. I thought the Redskins would lose 10 games this year. They may lose 12.
Buffalo @ Jacksonville
David Garrard was sacked seven times this week and threw two interceptions. That's 2/3 of his total interceptions and 1/3 of his total sacks for all of last season. Why? Read this. And also read this. There isn't a unit in the league as decimated as the Jaguars offensive line...
San Francisco @ Seattle
...except for maybe the Seahawks wide receivers. After losing Nate Burleson for the season, Holmgren's 'Hawks have only three healthy receivers: Jordan Kent, Logan Payne and Courtney Taylor. Don't worry. Nobody knows who they are.
Atlanta @ Tampa Bay
Mike Francesca on Atlanta’s rushing attack last week: “Michael Turner ran for 200 yards against the Lions. Tina Turner coulda got 150.” If you had to make a list of the defenses you don't want your rookie quarterback to face in his second game, this is right near the top.
Miami @ Arizona
Let me know who wins.
Baltimore @ Houston
Accountability Alert. The never-correct Scout.com wrote in their pre-draft analysis of Joe Flacco, "Not a threat to run the ball."
From the box score: TD - Joe Flacco, 38 yd run (Matt Stover kick is good), 0:15. Drive: 6 plays, 64 yards in 2:32.
Good work, fellas.
New England @ New York Jets
Listen, I'm an anti-Brett Favre guy but does a mediocre performance against a one-win football team really warrant the cover of Sports Illustrated? Or does this simply show the continuing fade into irrelevance for a once legendary magazine?
And can we stop with this season now becoming a referendum on Bill Bellichick's ability to coach a ballclub. Where do writers come up with this shit?
San Diego @ Denver
I root against two teams outside the NFC North: San Diego and Philadelphia. Philly has the most fairweather fans in the county and San Diego apparently has no fans at all. This weekend, the local Fox affiliate had to purchase the unsold seats just to get the game on television. And a visit to their website reveals that they have tickets available for every home game remaining. This team went to the AFC Championship Game last season. I know the weather is always beautiful out there but it's only three hours a week, eight weeks a year.
Pittsburgh @ Cleveland
Look at the Browns' last five games of the season: Indy, @ Tennessee, @ Philly, Cincy, @ Pittsburgh. This is a 5-to-7 win football team. Maybe the NFL should put them in primetime another half dozen times.
Philadelphia @ Dallas
When Adam Jones was asked about the Eagle victory Sunday, he said "They played the Rams, dude." Assholes have the remarkable ability to insult multiple people with a single sentence. Adam Jones is a world class asshole.
No, I'm not referring to Sarah Palin's magazine of choice.
Outside of maybe Carl Pavano, there was not a more aggregiously overpaid athlete in professional sports than Muhsin Muhammad during his stint with the Chicago Bears. He was a glorified slot man - with a cunning knack for drops in big spots and a penchant for throwing his quarterbacks under the team bus.
Not content with stealing pay checks for a few years, Moose decided to say a few derogatory words about the organization to Peter King of Sports Illustrated. "Where receivers go to die" he opined. Death, apparently, pays you thirteen million dollars a year.
Ron Turner was asked to comment. "I could say a lot,’’ he said. ``But I won’t.’’
It's not his job to disaparage former players in the press. It's Mike Brown's job to disfigure them on the field. Charles Tillman's too. And Kevin Payne's. If this defensive unit needed a means to maintain the level of intensity they displayed Sunday night, Mushin Muhammad should provide ample caffeine. Hit him hard. Hit him often. Because even if you harbor no ill will towards the man, you should know something.
We do.
It's Moose Week.
Editorial Note: I'll be writing a weekly "Around the League" type column every Wednesday to bridge the crevace between post-game analysis and pre-game planning. It will make it's debut this week and we'll see how it goes. I'm trying to find something to setit apart from the Peter King, TMQ type material.
Twenty thoughts on viewing the game a second time:
(1) "If you don't get there to intercept or knock down the ball, get there shortly thereafter." -John Madden on playing cornerback. Really, John?
(2) The player of the game was right guard Roberto Garza. Both Forte and McKie scored touchdowns because Garza leveled defenders and created huge holes. John Tait was also great in the run-blocking department.
(3) Nathan Vasher needs to work on tackling in space.
(4) Olin Kretuz had an indistinguishable evening which included an illegal snap, a holding penalty and a sack allowed. He was good in short yardage but this line can't afford mistakes like that from the captain.
(5) "If a guy is managing the game, he usually can't play." Now that's classic Madden. Kyle Orton threw one bad pass the entire night, sailing a ball over Des Dispenser's head and into the arms of Kelvin Hayden. Hayden - contrary to the Super Bowl - didn't catch it.
(6) Best drive of the game came after the Colts scored their third quarter touchdown. Orton and the running game held the ball for seven minutes and literally drained the life out of the stadium. TNo points due to a bad sack. They pinned the Colts deep and Lance Briggs scored a touchdown a few plays later.
(7) Best play of the game was a 3rd and 2 early in the fourth quarter where Orton wisely hit Forte over the middle for the first down as the pocket collapsed around him.
(8) Orton to Olsen down the right sideline at the end of the first half was pretty stuff. Olsen's other first down catch was a shoestring tackle away from being a big time touchdown. What a fascinating play call! I doubted using G-Reg in the backfield but it set him up one-on-one with a linebacker and that's a battle he's not losing.
(9) Loved the coach's facial expression after Hester got tackled on the three yard line. He had this, "Oh mannnnnn" look. Very funny.
(10) Charles Tillman played a spectacular football game.
(11) So did Adewale Ogunleye.
(12) So did Desmond Clark.
(13) Hey Danieal Manning. If Hester can catch the kickoff, let him catch the kickoff.
(14) My first grade on the 2008 draft class: A+. If Matt Forte and Marcus Harrison are the kinds of players we saw last night, we drafted two stars.
(15) You know what's amazing about the Bears defense? When they recover a fumble or intercept a pass, the entire unit goes into a kick return mode. They make a wedge-like thing and become excellent blockers. Lance Briggs was touched by one Colt en route to the endzone.
(16) Mike Brown landed thre hits that left a Colt writhing in pain. Joseph Addai won't forget #30.
(17) They didn't just dominate the shaky middle of the Colts offensive line, Wale and Ale Brown they dominated Ugoh and Diem too.
(18) When Kevin Jones came into the game, there was very little dropoff at running back. What are the odds Jerry Angelo trades Matt Forte for a second round pick swap?
(19) Lloyd Lee, linebackers coach. Not gonna lie. Had no idea who he was until yesterday. But when Lance Briggs scored, he jumped about eleven feet in the air.
(20) Supreme effort. The coaches deserve a tremendous amount of credit for putting together an exquisite game plan. Keep it up.
But I told you so.
I told Rick Telander. I told Steve Rosenbloom. I told David Haugh. Many times. While the rest of the sports media jumps on the Bears bandwagon today, remember who's been driving all along.
There was so much to like in last night's triumph at the oddly named Lucas Oil Stadium. The Chicago Bears of 2008 looked like the Chicago Bears of 2006 - suffocating on defense and efficient on offense. They ran the ball at will and made every play they needed to in the passing game. They hit people - oh boy did they hit people - and they fed off the fire of #30. They were good, damn it. Real good.
Here's what I really liked:
1. Matt Forte. I've only owned four Bears jerseys in my life: McMahon, Waddle, Zorich, Urlacher. I'm about to add a fifth. Why? "I'm glad we won, but I'm not going to go crazy over it."
2. Dusty Dvoracek. The stats may not show it but every time I looked up, Dusty D was in the Colts backfield. I'm getting a sense that this injury might have been severely underrated last season.
3. How about that defensive line?
4. How about Ron Turner? Did he make a bad call all night long? On the same note, did Bob Babich?
5. Anybody who criticizes anything The Skunk does should be shot. So he took the ball out of the endzone. What, you only like it when he scores?
6. Kyle Orton threw zero interceptions. Bears have zero losses.
7. John St. Clair was abused by Dwight Freeney all night long but he played his heart out. I was really impressed.
I'm going to watch the game with a cup of coffee in a few minutes and will probably have something more substantial this afternoon.
Bear down.
Remember who we are.
Remember what we’ve done.
Remember why you care.
Bear Down, Chicago Bears.
There's a negativity throughout the Chicago fans and media that has become so overwhelming that I sat awake last night wondering, "Why do I think this team is going to win games?" Can it be the residue of a Super Bowl run that feels like nineteen years ago, nevermind nineteen months? Can it be the preseason success of Kyle Orton? Can it be that Sunday night will be the first time since the 2007 regular season that this defensive unit will hit the field together?
This morning I realized the answer: Matt Forte.
Here's what Lance Briggs said in a radio interview:
"Honestly, more than I am frustrated that Cedric Benson didn't pan out here, I am more frustrated that a guy like Thomas Jones, who was our best offensive weapon for the years that he was here, was traded and let go...Because the guy, Thomas Jones, he was a great, great leader for the Bears. He was a fiery leader. He was a guy that when he got out on the field there were no biases to who he went to and told, `Hey, we need to get this done.'When Jerry Angelo made his worst decision as General Manager of this club, he ripped the heart out of it's most explosive offense in a generation. The player who carried the Bears through the 2006 postseason was being shipped to the Jets for a box of crayons and some tartar sauce while the reins were handed to Cedric Benson - Jerry Angelo's second worst decision as General Manager. He removed the voice from the huddle. He removed the banana from the split. In the absence of a plausible running game, the 2007 quarterback became a sitting duck and the QUACK could be heard from Arlington Heights to North Arlington, New Jersey."He went out and he played hard every day and even when we didn't win our league, the guy gave his whole heart and soul. He was our best offensive player every year that he was here. That was more frustrating, that he's not with us today."
There's something about this Forte fella. Briggs called him an "instant upgrade." Jeff Joniak praised his blocking ability. Forte says very little outside of the word "work." Not exciting. No grand predictions. No trash talk. No anything. Something about that feels comforting. I've operated under the assumption that the Bears will run the ball successfully this season and that assumption lies strictly on the back of the Double Deuce. Matt Forte brings with him a new face. Hope. Optimism. The "American Promise" (as my political candidate of choice might label it).
Which begs the question, "why?" Why optimism? Why look for something to believe in? Why not act like so many of you who'll walk through the tunnel of the 2008 season expecting nothing and act pleasantly surprised should the club find themselves in the postseason? Answer: because that's not me. I watch every sport on earth - golf, tennis, racing included - but I live and die with the Chicago Bears. If you don't believe "this could be the year" then why turn the television on? Why spend three hours a day operating a website? The defeatist attitude is the sports fan way of keeping an emotional distance as a mean of self-protection. But if you don't know what it's like to have your heart ripped out in defeat, you'll never understand the true joy of victory.
When I sit on the third stool from the left end of the bar in Josie Woods Pub on Sunday night, I'll remember what it was like the last time I sat there to watch Bears versus Colts. Remember how it felt to see Hester. Remember how much it hurt to see Hayden. And I'll believe maybe we can be there again. Maybe this year.
And to Double Deuce, I apologize. I'm expecting you to provide something this offense has lacked since TJ left for NYC. Passion. Care half as much as I do and we'll be just fine.
For those of you new here, I began picking against the spread on this site two years ago and was about thirty games over. Since then...not so much. So I'm changing the format. Starting with week one, I'll pick the Bears game and three others each week. You do the same.
(1) Pick the Bears against the spread and THREE other games in the "Comments" section. To protect your selections, you can also email them to jeff@dabearsblog.com.
(2) Get all four correct in any of the seventeen weeks and you make the postseason fantasy tournament (the only fantasy I do).
(3) Win that and you'll be invited to join me every Friday for the duration of the 2009 season. I'm looking for a nice point/counter point Friday column.
CHICAGO BEARS +9.5 OVER Indianapolis
Why do I like the Chicago Bears this week?
1. I always like the Chicago Bears.
2. I actually believe the Bears are going to win Sunday night. A banged up interior of the Colts offensive line and a quarterback who'll undoubtedly be wary of lateral motion will give way to a barrage of Tommie and stunt blitzes.
3. Because according to Brad Biggs: Wide receiver Rashied Davis on whether he has watched Super Bowl XLI: 'I have it on my TiVo at home. I still have it. I don't watch it much, but I still have it.' Let's not forget that contrary to the David "I'm the new Mariotti" Haugh, a great many of the players on this roster felt that defeat in Miami nineteen months ago. This is a Bears defense that hasn't been healthy since and has spent the last two weeks being shit on by the local press for underperforming in fake games. They'll be inspired Sunday night.
4. Kyle Orton: 17-28, 209 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT
5. Matt Forte: 24 carries, 144 yards, 2 TDs
6. Bears 27, Colts 23
...and the other three...
NEW YORK GIANTS -4 over Washington
I spoke about the Giants yesterday so I'll leave that be. Otherwise I just can't get excited about the Washington Redskins. The emotion and energy of a Giants fanbase celebrating their first title in 18 years should catalyze Eli Manning into what I believe is going to be a Pro Bowl season.
Cincinnati -1 over BALTIMORE
Joe Flacco's last start in a football game was losing in the I-AA championship game. He's going to lose again Sunday and look badly doing it. When an organization is considering starting Troy Smith over you in a professional football game, you're not ready.
New York Jets -3 over MIAMI
This is a hope pick. I'm rooting like hell for Brett Favre to be the best quarterback in football this season because I know in the homes of Allouez and DePere and Madison, it'll make their hearts sick.
…and it shouldn't. Professional football is not a Thursday night sport. It should start on Sunday. The first game should be at 1 pm ET. If you want to make a big deal for the Super Bowl champion, give them the Sunday night game. Sunday is a holiday for a lot of us and Thursday night cheapens it.
NEW HEADLINER
Phil from SATX has spent the last few seasons playing to sold out crowds in the lounge and we’re moving him to the big room, where he’ll debut writing the in-game column Sunday night. (Note: The game columns will feature quarter-by-quarter updates this season from a host of writers.) Phil has not only been one of our most consistent contributors but one of our most insightful and passionate fans – never as starkly on display as when he responded to a Super Bowl defeat.
WHAT ABOUT THE SUPER BOWL CHAMPION?
I watched every Giants pre-season game and this Giants team is pretty good. They have a nice offensive line, good backs and a solid receiving corps when they’re all on the field. I know Osi had 13 sacks last season but he had 6 in one game. They’ll be losing half a sack a game otherwise and I’m confident Spags (arguably the best young defensive coordinator around) will find a way to compensate.
Everybody is picking the Cowboys to win the division. Some are picking the Eagles to make the Super Bowl. Meanwhile the team that ACTUALLY hoists the 2007 banner can’t find a genius analyst in the land to put them in the postseason. I have a lot of respect for the ring and for this team. I expect them to win tonight.
(1) Enough with dividing the schedule into four quarters. Have we really become so stupid that we can't divide by a number larger than four? The Bears schedule is clearly seven separate entities, breaking down like this: 2 road, 2 home, 2 road, 3 home, 3 road, 3 home, road.
(2) Take a look at that again. They don't play a road-home-road or home-road-home set of games all season long. I've never seen that before.
(3) They don't play the Packers for the first time until the 16th of November.
(4) The New Orleans Saints will come to Chicago (Dec. 11) in the dead of winter for the third consecutive year. The combined score of the last two games? 72-39.
(5) 7-5 heading into that December would be nice. Finishing then with the Jags, Saints, Pack at home and a trip to Houston makes ten wins reachable (but 9 might get you into the playoffs).
(6) Final note on December: hope you have something else to do on Sundays because the Bears play a Thursday and Monday night.
(7) This has to be the first 7-9 team in league history with five scheduled primetime games.
(8) Most important game of the season? Week 2 at the Carolina Panthers. Why? (a) If the win Sunday night, the Bears will begin the 2008 season with two straight road wins and alarming confidence. (b) If they lose Sunday, a road win will stabilize the ship. (c) When you're making a list of teams the Bears should beat, Carolina without Steve Smith should be on it. (d) I like to see what my team is made of as early in the season as possible. I'll know by the number of times they let Moose run across the middle of the field. (e) All conference games against possible contenders become pivotal late in the year.
(9) I love where the bye week comes - after six games, end of October, following their first game with the Vikings.
(10) Here's an absolutely fool-proof method to discover if the Bears are a contender this year. If the lose a single game in October, they're not. (at Detroit, at Atlanta, home Minnesota)
Don't say I never gave you anything.
I've just finished watching a tape of Super Bowl XLI under the assumption that the Indianapolis game plan - at least offensively - shouldn't change much. Two things about that: (1) Devin Hester's opening kickoff touchdown loses none of its luster when the outcome is already known and (2) It is a very sad game to watch otherwise. Here's my attack plan for Sunday night in three parts. (The Bears have opened as 9 1/2 point underdogs.)
1. David Haugh is right: Ron Turner's complete abandonment of the running game in the third quarter of the Super Bowl has grown more implausible over time. I don't expect to see that again but I reiterate my belief that this offense will be at its most successful when they spread the field on first down. Slant and screen them to death - even if you only gain four and five yards a clip. Create manageable second downs to support what will be an over-worked John St. Clair.
2. Everything is lined up for the Bears to be able to mount a significant pass rush, specifically up the middle. Jeff Saturday is out a couple months. Ryan Lilja is on PUP. Charlie Johnson is starting at right guard. All this while the quarterback competes on a bum knee. Attack. Don't get complacent and expect Tommie Harris to have a field day. The Bears are crazy if they don't send Brian and Lance up the middle a half dozen times and move Peyton's pocket.
3. Use Hester and Olsen out wide at the same time. I maintain that these two players create mismatches that will drive defensive coordinators insane. Linebackers are too slow to stay with Olsen and Skunk forces a safety to take him on over the top. With this set of less-than-intimidating wide receivers, Ron Turner can ill afford to rely on Orton-to-Lloyd or Orton-to-Davis to light up the scoreboard.
Bears Over Birds: Ten First Thoughts
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Drunken Thoughts.
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